Facing Death
by mahaliem
Summary: Xander must confront an old enemy. Set in the future. Complete!
1. Part 1

Title:                 Facing Death

Author:             mahaliem

E-mail:              mahaliem@yahoo.com

Rating:              R

Disclaimer:      Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy

Summary:         Xander must confront an old enemy.  This is the last story of my future Xander trilogy, a sequel to "Xander Harris – Carpenter Extraordinaire" and its prequel "Deadly Memories."  Warning! Warning! Warning! – Character deaths in the excerpts of **The Last Apocalypse**.

Thank you so much to Alena for beta reading this for me.  I truly couldn't do without her.  Thank you, also, to Jane Davitt, who gave me wonderful suggestions and encouragement.  

_The Hellspawn weren't really spawned in Hell.  They'd come from a different dimension, but they fed on mystical forces.   Sunnydale and the Hellmouth must have seemed like the land of milk and honey to them.  But feeding on the emissions from the Hellmouth wasn't enough.  They were determined to open it up and get to the mother lode.   We had to stop them and what worked best was an old-fashioned beheading._

_                                                                        **The Last Apocalypse**_

_                                                                        by A. L. Harris_

Part 1

"Where is he, Xander?"

Riley stood before me.  Even though he was clad as a civilian, nothing could hide the fact that he was first, and foremost, a soldier.

"Where's who?"

His eyes continued to bore into mine.

"You know…I'm never sure if you're playing dumb…or if you really are dumb."  

"I haven't seen him," I answered.

"Are you positive?"

"Hey, I'm still breathing, aren't I?  If he'd been around, I'd probably be dead."

"True.  But you have contacts…contacts we don't have."

My hands clenched into fists.  I didn't like where this conversation was going.

"Leave her out of it."

"Not possible.  If he's in town, he's going to go see her."

Riley was right.  She was going to be involved, whether I liked it or not.  And I really didn't like it.

"I haven't heard anything."

"Well, if you do, you know how to reach me."

He dropped his gaze and turned his back to me, heading towards the door.  When Riley reached the threshold, he spoke, his voice deadly serious.

"Don't even consider for a moment, Xander, taking him out yourself.  I've heard rumors.  They say you're good at what you do, but this one is way out of your league."

I watched as Riley exited, a modern day, high-tech Van Helsing.  And he would need every advantage he and his men could muster in his hunt, because, as vampires went, Dracula didn't hold a candle to Angelus.  

* * * * *

"Riley left already?" asked Dawn, coming out of the bedroom as she spoke.

"Yeah, he left…the bastard."

"What's wrong?"

"What do you think?  I know you were eavesdropping.   Don't even bother trying to deny it."

Dawn spun to face me; her voice became harder as she confronted me.  

"Okay, I was listening.  Riley is after Angelus.  You were never a big fan of Angel's.  Why do have a problem with that?"

"Riley's planning to use Dru."

 "So?"

"I'm not going to let him do that."

I was bent over, adjusting my pants over the knives I'd strapped to my ankles, and wasn't paying too much attention.  I needed to go see Dru, see if I could stop this before it started.  Therefore, when I stood up and saw a large glass vase hurtling at my head, I barely managed to dodge it, letting it shatter behind me on the wall.

"What was that for?" I yelled.

"You…you idiot!"

Dawn was furious with me.  She was breathing heavily, almost panting, and I watched in fascination as her chest rose and fell.  Part of me twitched.  I blame my constant inappropriately timed horniness on growing up in Sunnydale, surrounded by demons and slayers.  Dangerous women had always gotten me hot.  Right now, Dawn was dangerous.

"Drusilla isn't some sweet thing you have to go rescue.  Besides, when she sees Angelus, she'll probably clap her hands in glee and do a happy dance."

"Angelus is more dangerous to everyone now, even Drusilla.  You know when everything went to hell, it drove Angel mad."

"Then they'll be a matched set.  Damn it, Xander, she's a vampire!  She loves children and puppies…as snacks.  She killed Kendra.  She's tried to kill you…how many times again?"

"Well, actually, she was trying to turn me…which does involve killing me first, but…"

"Aarghh!" Dawn screamed.

She started searching for something else to throw.  She dismissed the pillows on the couch as unworthy weapons, and her eyes settled on the lamp.  I had to stop her.  I liked that lamp.  

Striding forward, I grabbed her arms.  Big mistake.  Adrenalin was pouring through her because of her anger, and her instinct to protect herself kicked in.  Using my own momentum, she dropped backwards and flipped me over, sending me crashing into the wall. The glass of one of the pictures hanging on the wall cracked, but since it was of one of my parents, taken on an anniversary, I figured it was kind of appropriate.  But I had to stop this before it escalated.  So, instead of getting up, I clutched my side and moaned.

"Xander?" she said, concerned, pushing away the anger in her voice.

I gave another little groan and rolled back and forth a bit.  Dawn had been too young…no, in the fake monk memories of Dawn…she'd been too young to go on patrol with us, and she didn't know how many times I used to get knocked to the ground.  I think the record was sixteen times in one night.  Willow used to claim that it was really only fourteen, since twice I'd been knocked to the ground when Buffy pushed me out of the way of danger.   Dawn seemed pretty concerned as she rushed to my side, her hands fluttering around me, not knowing what to do.  

"Xander!  Oh, my God!  I'm sorry!  How badly are you hurt?"

"I'm okay…just need to get to the couch and get my breath back."  

Dawn was thoroughly buying my act, and I felt a little bad at the deception.  On the other hand, if I'd let the fight continue, I might really have been hurt, and she would've felt terrible.  I didn't mind the fact that Dawn had gotten physical.  It was in her blood.  Also, it was much preferable, in my opinion, to how she used to scream for me to go away, then lock herself in the bedroom and refuse to discuss anything.

With her arm around my waist, and my arm across her shoulders, she helped me sit on the couch.  I gave a huge wince, but when she looked at me funny, I toned it down a bit.      

"Can I get you anything?  Do you want some ice…or some Advil?"

"No, no…I'll be okay in a minute.  But can we sit and talk this out?  Please?"

With a sigh, she sat down next to me.  

"I just don't understand your fascination with Drusilla.  It's like you're obsessed."

"I'm not obsessed."

"Riiight.  You're always worried about her.  Is she being careful about sunlight?  Is she eating only healthy people?  It's sick."

"Dawn, I never told you, but I did something bad to Drusilla once…really, really Angelus-type bad.  I did it for a good reason, but…it haunts me."

We sat in silence for a few minutes.  I don't know what was going through Dawn's head, but I was remembering when I'd done my best to drive a sweet girl mad…and succeeded.  

"Xander, I'm going to ask you this once, and I'd like for you to be honest.  Are you in love with her?"

"No," I blurted out.  Then, after a moment, "Maybe."  I ended up shrugging. "I don't know."

She stood up then, and folded her arms across her chest.  Looking down at me, she bit her lower lip and then turned her back.  When she spoke again, it was so softly that I had to strain to hear it.  

"I think you need to go."

I rose from the couch.  I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"What?"

"You need to go…leave.  I think it'd be for the best."

"Dawn, sweetheart, I love you.  Drusilla and I…we've been over for a long time."

She turned and faced me. Her mouth was set in a firm line, and I knew that I'd seriously screwed up.

"It's not Drusilla…not entirely.  It's you.  You and your death wish."

"I don't have a death wish!  What makes you say that?"

"Ever since the Hellspawn came to Sunnydale, ever since we marched out to meet them, and some of us didn't march back again.  Ever since we buried our friends - you've been looking for a way to crawl into the grave with them."

"That's not true."

"It is.  You may have been fucking Drusilla, but it's always been death you had a hard-on for."

I glared at her, having heard more than I'd ever wanted to.   

"Maybe you're right.  Maybe I should go."

Stomping into the bedroom, I reached into the back of the closet and pulled out a duffle bag.  Within minutes, I'd filled it with a few days worth of clothes, my toothbrush, and deodorant.  Anything else I figured I'd either return to get in a day or two, or I could learn to live without.  All the while, Dawn stood and watched me, leaning up against the doorway, her arms still folded.  

When I strode past her and headed for the front door, she spoke. Her voice was trembling a bit, but when I looked at her, her eyes were dry.  She was too tough to cry.

"Where are you going?"  

She glanced away for a moment, then turned her gaze back to me and gave a little shrug.

"You know," she continued, "in case I need to get in touch with you or something and your cell phone's not working."

Dawn had hurt me and I was going to hurt her back.  

"Where do you think I'm going?"

For a moment, she looked at me blankly; then, what I said hit her. Her voice became high and shrill as she questioned me.  

"Her?  You're going to her?"

"One thing I can count on about Drusilla.  She'll always greet me with open arms…and legs."

The last thing I heard before I slammed the door behind me was Dawn's little gasp of pain.  

 * * * * * 

Father Murry was a bit surprised to find me at his door at eleven o'clock at night, but he took one look at my face, then at the bag in my hand, and waved me inside.  

We'd become friends in the past decade.  For all of the differences there were between us - age, occupation, the fact that he was going to heaven and I wasn't-we had a lot of things in common.  We were both hands-on type of guys.  Others might moan and groan about what the world was coming to.  We were the type to get in and try to make it better, even if we got a little dirty in the process.  

He showed me to a small bedroom, then left for a moment, before returning with fresh sheets and towels that he handed to me.  With a nod, and a quiet 'We'll talk in the morning,' he closed the door.  Still holding the linens in my hand, I sat on the bed and stared at nothing for a while.

TBC


	2. Part 2

Title:                 Facing Death

Author:             mahaliem

E-mail:              mahaliem@yahoo.com

Rating:              R

Disclaimer:      Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy

_One of the Hellspawn clubbed me in the back while I was busy beheading the fellow in front of me and I went down on my knees, expected a second blow, a deathblow to follow.  It never came.  I was hauled up to my feet and spun around.  It was Wesley.   He had a large gash in his forehead and blood was running down his face, but he grinned before turning to block a blow that was being leveled at his head.  _

_                                                                        **The Last Apocalypse**_

_                                                                        by A. L. Harris_

Part 2

When I entered _The King of Cups_ the next morning, Leon rushed up to greet me.  

"Xander.  Good.  You're here.  I gotta talk to you."

"I'm busy, Leon.  Where's Drusilla?"

"She's around.  Listen, Xander, it's important."

Exasperated, I stopped moving towards the back area and glared at Leon.

"What?"

"Angelus is in town."

"Where'd you hear that?"

"There's been a rumor going around for the past few days that he was headed in this direction.  Then, last night, it got to be more than a rumor."

"What happened?  Is Dru okay?"

"Yeah, yeah…Miss Drusilla's fine.  But the folks over at the _Hell Pit_ aren't.  Seems Angelus showed up there to do some recruiting.  Jake and Pete, who owned the joint, took offense.  He ended up using them to entertain the crowd.  Parts of them, anyway."

"Is he still there?"

"Nah.  Took off with a group of demons and vamps after he had his fun.  Don't know where they are now.  Xander…you've got to stop him.  Him killing bar owners…it isn't right."

"Leon, you know my cell phone number.  If you or your buddies get any information on where he might be holed up, let me know."

"You've got it."

I heard the back room door open, and looked away from Leon to where Drusilla was gliding into the room.  

"I felt you, my brave knight.  Your nearness hummed against my skin, making me tingle."

"That's me…Mr. Skin Tingle Guy."

She came up to me, touching my cheek with a fingertip before sliding it down to my neck, then around my nape as she walked around me, circling me.  I moved to face her and gripped her hands in mine.  

"Dru, I want you to come away with me for a while.  We'll take a little vacation together.  How 'bout it?"

Her eyes lit in pleasure at the prospect.

"Can we go to the beach and let the sand sing its song of endless pain to us?"

"Er…sure, sounds like a winner.  Why don't you go grab a few things, and we'll leave?"

Drusilla started to turn to go back to her room, but stopped after only taking a few steps.  

"Oh, Kitten, I can't.  Daddy's nearby."

"Have you seen him?"

"Daddy?  No.  But he wants to dance with us…you and me.  We'll have such fun."

Damn!  So much for getting her cooperation.  

"Drusilla, honey?  Why don't you show me some of those dance steps you plan to do…for Daddy?  I'd love to see them."  

Her eyes glittered as she smiled, then humming a soft song, she began to sway and undulate gracefully around the area.  For a moment, her movements mesmerized me.  She was lovely, enticing.  Giving myself a mental jerk, I reached under my jacket, pulled out a tazer gun, and zapped her.  I barely managed to catch her as she collapsed.

Leon's eyes bulged and he began babbling at me.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"You don't want Angelus coming here, do you?  Well, with Drusilla gone, maybe he won't show."

"Oh.  Okay.  Do you need any help getting her out of here?"

"Leon, once again, I'm awed by your complete and total lack of loyalty."

Leon simply stood there, waiting. He had looking out for number one down to an art form, and he knew it.  It didn't bother him when it was pointed out.  With a disgusted roll of my eyes, I told him what he could do to help.

"A blanket to wrap her in would be nice…and maybe George behind the bar could help me carry her out to my car.  Afterwards, you might want to put out the word that Dru's no longer staying here."

Within minutes, the demon bartender had helped me carry my burden to the car and I was speeding away.  I swung by my workshop to pick up a few items, and then drove on to Father Murry's house.  He'd had an early morning meeting with the church board, so we hadn't had our little talk yet.  As I pulled in, I spotted his car in the drive, so I figured he was back home.  

Pulling Drusilla into my arms, and after making sure she was properly covered, I carried her to the porch, then rapped on the door.  Father Murry opened it, puzzled, but motioned me inside.  I shook my head.

"Invite us in."

Even more confused, he spoke the magic words.

"Xander, you and…your friend can come in."

Quickly, I hurried inside.  

"Father, there's a bag of stuff I need in my car; can you get it for me?"

While he retrieved my bag, I carried the still unconscious Drusilla into the bedroom I'd used the night before.  She'd started to stir a bit after I'd left my workshop, so I'd zapped her again.  Part of me felt a bit guilty.  Another part knew that if the power could be turned down to a more reasonable level, Dru would probably be really into it.

By the time the priest returned, I had Drusilla comfortably laid out on the bed.  His eyes widened when I opened the bag he handed me, and drew forth a set of chains and manacles.  

"Xander, I know that your religious education was sorely lacking when you were young, but you do realize that bringing an unconscious woman into my home and proceeding to chain her up is just not done."

"Not a woman.  This is Drusilla."

"Drusilla?  The vampire…?"

He was flabbergasted.  There's really is no other word for it.  I mean, his mouth was working, but no sound was coming out.  His arms were making weird, little, flapping motions.  I was getting a little worried about him.  I don't think he was remembering to breathe.  It was just as I was clamping the last manacle to her wrist that he exploded.

"You brought that creature here?  Into my home?"

"Yeah.  You know, you really should make it a rule never to invite anyone into your house.  If they can't step in, they should be kept out."

"Why…" he paused, took in a deep gulp of air to calm himself, and then continued.  "Why is she here?"

With a nod, I indicated that we should maybe finish the conversation in another room and headed for the kitchen.  I got myself a glass of water.  My eyebrows rose when I saw that he got himself a shot of scotch.  _Good job, Xander_, I thought to myself.  Make the nice priest start drinking.

As we sat at the table, sipping from our glasses, I explained.

"Do you remember me telling you about Angel?  How, when everything went wrong, he became crazed with grief, and now he makes all serial killers look like poster boys for sanity?"

Father Murry nodded and drank some more.

"He's Drusilla's sire.  They've always had a pretty twisted relationship.  But now…I'm afraid he'll hurt her.  Hurt her, and not in the usual-vamps-just want-to-have-fun way, either."  

"Is this the reason that you showed up last night?  Dawn doesn't understand your desire to protect Drusilla?"

"Got it in one.  Bet you're pretty good at that whole priest gig of yours."

Reaching for his glass, he drained the rest of it and set it down with a thump.  I could tell that he was considering telling me to take Dru and go.  I had to try to explain.

"I know that she's an evil creature now.  I understand that.  But she wasn't always.  I figure God owes her big time."

He started to protest, but I laid a hand on his arm.

"The day Angelus killed her, turned her into a monster, was the day she took her vows at a convent.  She should've been protected.  God should've protected her.  But he didn't."

"So now you've taken over that task…of protecting her?"

I rubbed my face in my hands.  Conversations like this were never my strong point.  Giles had always been able to make clear, logical cases for his point of view.  Willow was smart and could support her opinion with lots of examples.  Buffy had passion on her side.  Spike also had passion, but there'd always been a hint of manipulation in his arguments.  Anya just said what she thought and to hell with everyone else.  For me, the words seemed to stumble over themselves, colliding with my feelings, and never coming out of my mouth the way I wanted them to.   

"Think of her as a lost lamb.   Okaaay, one that's become rabid and dangerous…but she belonged to the church, belonged to God when she died.  Are you going to turn your back on her?"  

He sighed.  Knowing about all the evils in the world was one thing.  Having one take up residence in the spare bedroom was another.  Finally, he nodded his head.  He'd let her stay.  I stood up to go check on her, but stopped when he held his arm out, blocking me.

"Is there anything I should know? Things to do or not do?"

I considered his question for a moment before answering.  He knew a bit about vampires, but what he didn't know could kill him.

"Drusilla's really good at enthralling people.  And no, I'm not under her spell…I think.  Just don't go into the room.  No matter what.  You may hear her laughing or crying or screaming in agony, but don't go in there.  And for Pete's sake, don't do the whole horror movie cliché, and now that I'd told you what not to do, you go ahead and do it, okay?"  

He smiled.

"Right.  No going into the room.  Anything else?"

"You might want to consider opening the drapes during the day – let in the light.  Keep a lot of crosses handy, in your pockets, on tables and nightstands, just in case.  And maybe have some pitchers, bowls and cups of holy water around.  Seeing as how you're a priest, that shouldn't be a problem."

"I think I'll be able to handle that."

Pulling a stake from my pocket, I set it on the table next to him.

"And finally, if none of that works, use this.  Go for the heart.  Don't hesitate, because you won't get a second chance."

I left him, still contemplating the wooden stake before him.  

TBC


	3. Part 3

Facing Death (Part 3 of 7)

_A large contingent of Hellspawn made a synchronized rush, not at us, the warriors, nor at the initiative soldiers fighting on our right flank, but towards Willow, Giles, and Dawn. One group began scaling the walls, their long claws digging into the cement blocks, creating handholds.  Another group began tossing their war hammers and clubs at our friends in a frenzy.  Then one of the thrown objects glanced off of Dawn's forehead and she went down.  _

_                                                                        **The Last Apocalypse**_

_                                                                        by A. L. Harris_

Part 3

Most of the day was spent making calls to some of my sources in the demon community.  My first call had been to Fred.  I needed to warn her - should've warned her as soon as I found out myself.  Fred was pretty smart about keeping herself safe, but Angelus was sly, clever in that evil genius sort of way.  I wouldn't put it past him to approach her, pretending to be sane Angel again and playing into her hopes.  

Fred had already gotten the message.  That morning, she'd found the carcass of the stray dog she'd been feeding strewn across her front porch.  I wondered why he hadn't just nailed it to the door.  I thought he was a sucker for the classics.  

Dru awoke in the early evening, and did everything she could to try to get me to release her so that she could go to Angelus.  She pouted and cried.  She screamed and cursed me.  She teased and purred, and hiked up her skirts in an effort to seduce me.  When she tried to enthrall me, I slapped her hard, and then left the room as she laughed.  

Around nine-thirty, my cell phone rang.  It was Leon.

"You know where he is?" I asked.

"No, but there's something going down on _Juarez_.  Near 8th street.  I got a report that a bunch of guys dressed in camouflage just hopped off some trucks there."

Riley's men.  It had to be.  I hung up and grabbed all my gear, quickly glancing it over.  Stakes, knives, Xander specials, holy water - all seemed to be in order.  If Riley was taking Angelus down, I wanted to be in on it.  

When I arrived at the scene, soldiers had cordoned off the area.  I pulled my car over to the side and hopped out, and headed for what looked like the command center.  A soldier tried to stop me, but I saw Riley and started yelling.  With a look of frustration, he strode over to where I was still giving the guard a hard time. 

"You shouldn't be here, Xander.  This isn't your fight."

"The hell it isn't.  This is Angelus we're talking about.  You can be the ones to kill him, but I want to be there to make sure he's dead."

He took that in, then gave a quick nod.

"Fine.  But you're an observer, got that?  You stay out of our way."

"Yes sir, whatever you say, sir."

Shaking his head, not sure if he was being mocked or not, he walked back to the group of ten soldiers who looked as if they were gearing up for World War III.  Putting on a helmet, he addressed them in a loud, commanding voice.

"Okay, men, we're going in.  Our equipment tells us that there's one room temperature hostile inside.  He isn't hiding, so I don't think he knows we're here.  Now, there may be only one of him, but he's considered highly dangerous, so stay alert."

Riley motioned to one man, who came forward.  

"Greenburg, Davis, Johnson, and Lockwood – you're with Basque.  You're going in through the back.  Wait for my signal." 

The five he'd named moved as a group around the side of the structure and disappeared.   

"The rest of us…and Harris, here, will go in the front.  Good hunting, men."

Part of me couldn't believe that Riley had said that.  'Good hunting', like they were tracking down a wild animal, a deer, or something, when what they were after was smarter than they were.  Suddenly, I got a bad, Jurassic Park kind of feeling as I followed them.  

The building we were entering had, at one time, been a restaurant.  A nice one, before the neighborhood around it changed and the streets had become mean.  Then the demons had moved in on the gangs and drug pushers.  Must've been like kindergarten bullies on the playground finding themselves surrounded by big, bad sixth graders, only with sharper teeth and more bloodshed.

Riley yammered a bit on his walkie-talkie as we scanned the first room.  It had once been the reception and waiting area.  I couldn't see much, because, while the others had nifty night-vision equipment, I just had my standard Xander peepers.  Riley indicated for two soldiers to check out the small rooms on the left, the restrooms, maybe?  Within a minute, they were back.  

We were too close to Angelus for the equipment to give us directional readings, so when we went through the doors to the main area, we took it slow.  I was pleased that Angelus had lit a few candles.  They didn't do too much to brighten the room, but at least I didn't feel so blind.  

There were several alcoves that must have harbored different seating areas, or been sectioned off for large parties, but no tables or chairs remained.  The focus of the room, however, was what must have been at one time the bar.  It was a large rectangular structure, made of stone.  Above it, ends of wires still hung down from the remains of the ceiling, swaying a bit, as our movements stirred up the air.  In the middle of the wires, where at one time there had been a skylight, was a hole.  The night sky shone through that hole spotlighting…Angelus. 

He stood, surrounded by the stone bar up to a point above his waist, and watched us, unconcerned as we crept into the room and started to take positions around him.  His eyes lit on me, and he smiled. 

 "Xander, long time, no see."

"Not long enough."

I turned towards Riley.

"What are you waiting for…shoot him!" I yelled.

"Our orders are to capture him, if possible."

"Whose idiotic idea was that?" 

Angelus tilted his head as he looked at me, and tsked.  

"Ah…Xander…that wasn't very nice.  After all we've been to each other, too.  I don't even mind that you've borrowed something that belongs to me."  His voice became low and thunderous.  "But I want her back."  

"Dru's not yours."

"She'll always be mine.  Where is she?"

Riley turned to me, disbelief and frustration evident.

"You've got Drusilla?  I told you to stay out of it, Xander!"

"Riley?  Is that Riley with you Xander?  You know, I never liked that guy. Was always too sure of himself, as long as he had his friends and his little toys along."

The soldiers had come in the back as we'd talked, and carefully taken positions on the far side of the room, so that Angelus was surrounded.  

"Why don't we show you what our little toys can do?" said Riley.  "Men, take him down."

At a signal from Riley, weapons were fired that arced electricity towards Angelus, who simply ducked down to avoid their flash, letting the power splash over the walls and stone.  They were avoiding getting too close, but what they were doing wasn't going to work.  I pulled my Xander Special from my pocket.  

Riley signaled again, and the tazers stopped.  Angelus poked his head back out.  

"Now that was impressive.  Bet my friends thought so, too."

"Friends?" Riley jeered.  "You're alone."

Angelus simply smirked.

"Is that what your toys told you, boy?  Well, I'd love to stay and watch the fun, but…"

Thunk.  I'd hit him in the chest when I'd fired, missing his heart by inches.   He snarled at me and I fired again.  This time, he leapt up to avoid it.  Up through the hole in the ceiling, he jumped, and disappeared into the night.  

Riley marched up to me, fury overwhelming him.

"Damn it, Xander, you were supposed to observe, not…"

I slammed into him, covering his mouth with my hand.

"Shh….    Listen!"

He stiffened as he heard it, too.  A moaning and groaning of the floorboards as things shifted.  We spun around, and I saw it, and my heart lurched.  Riley still didn't realize what was happening.  His night-vision goggles were obscuring it.  I yanked off his headgear and pointed to the walls.  The walls that seemed to be moving.  In the dim light, we could barely make out that the walls were actually formless blobs.  And they were coming closer.  

"What the hell are they?  Why didn't the machine pick them up?" Riley shouted.

"Ciladon, a hive of them.  Tazers probably woke them, got them active."

The soldiers were beginning to fire into the slow moving blobs that encroached us into a smaller and smaller space.  There was no effect.  It wasn't even making them pause.   I pointed to the hole where Angelus had escaped.  

"Can we make it out that way?" 

Riley shook his head.  

"I have a line, no grappling hook, though.  What kills these things?"

The soldiers kept firing, but Riley could see that our territory was getting smaller by the second, and we'd soon be overrun.

"You have any Mr. Clean on you?" I shouted.

"What?"

"Ammonia – just the smell of it makes these things turn tail.  If it gets on them, they die," I explained.

Riley gave a fatalistic shrug his shoulders.

"Sorry, didn't pack any cleaning supplies.  Well, it's been nice knowing you, Xander."

All of the soldiers were now huddled behind the stone bar, firing wildly as their death came closer.  I got an idea.  If it didn't work, I was going to feel really stupid…at least for the few minutes it took before we all died.  

I clambered up on the bar and unzipped my pants.

My stream shot out and splattered on the nearest Ciladon, and an unearthly shriek filled the room as part of it dissolved.  Other Ciladon backed away from the site.  The ammonia in urine was working.  Riley was never slow on the uptake.   He began to unzip as well.    

"Come on, men, let's do it.  Let's clear a path to the door."

The lone female, Davis, looked at Riley with wide eyes.  He simply nodded at her, encouragingly.

"Do your best, soldier."

As we moved closer to the door, doing something that I hoped never went down in the annals of military conflicts, I glanced over at Riley.  

"Makes you wish you'd gotten that Big Gulp at 7-Eleven, doesn't it?"

By the time we escaped the building in which we'd come so close to dying, our bladders were empty, but our hearts joyous.  With the feeling of accomplishment, we were putting ourselves away and zipping up, when a loud series of snarls sounded from nearby.  

Coming towards us was a group of Fyarl demons.  Guess Angelus' plan B was kicking in.  I bent and grabbed my knives from their sheaths at my ankles, and handed one to Riley.  He glanced at me in surprise.

"Silver.  Not only pretty, but useful, too."

He gave me a wry grin as we headed towards the monsters.

 * * * * * 

I walked into the bedroom and slowly pulled my blood and gore covered shirt from my body.  My left arm ached where the claws of a Fyarl had torn it open a few inches above the wrist; luckily, it was only a shallow cut.  We'd managed to defeat the demons without a single casualty.  Lots of wounded, though. Heck, by the time we were done, all of us were wounded.  Riley was sporting a gash in the forehead and broken ribs.  A few of his soldiers had only minor injuries, but four of them were in the hospital, one in intensive care.  There was no doubt about it.  Angelus had kicked our butts.  If I closed my eyes, I could still hear the screams, both human and demon, echoing.

Drusilla was sitting on the edge of the bed as I entered.  I'd given her enough play on the chains so that she could move around a bit.  Now she was watching me, her eyes flicking over the minor scratches on my chest, before latching onto my wound.  

"Kitten, you're hurt."

As I watched, she licked her lips.  Sighing, I strode to the nightstand where I'd left a container of blood.  The jar was empty.

"Do you want me to get you another pint, Dru?"

"Nasty stuff.  Tastes horrid."

"That's cause it's pig, not fresh human.  You didn't answer my question, though.  Are you still hungry?"  

"No," she pouted.

I turned my back on her as I reached into my duffle bag for my toothbrush, but I could still feel her eyes on me. 

"You saw Daddy."

"Uh huh."

"Did he ask about me?"

"Uh huh."

The bed creaked a little and her chains clanked as she rose and put a cool hand on my back, between my shoulder blades. 

"Bad, rude men, to have such fun and not invite me play in your game."

Spinning, I captured her arms in a tight grip.

"It's not a game. It's never been a game.  People were injured tonight.  We could've died."

She smiled and eyed my wound.

"Does it hurt?"

"A bit."

"Let Mummy kiss it better?"

Yanking her against me, I slammed my mouth onto hers, kissing her fiercely, deeply.  As we kissed, I maneuvered us towards the bed, then pushed her down on it.  I followed her, spreading her legs as I placed my weight on top of her.  When I brought my head up to gasp in a breath, she giggled, then pulled her skirt up to her waist, baring herself to me.

Her dampness stained the crotch of my jeans as I thrust against her, wanting to bury myself in her, but also wanting to draw it out as long as possible.  It felt so good, but there was one thing I could do to make it even better.  

I lifted my arm and placed my wound next to her mouth.  With glee, Drusilla's eyes glowed yellow, and her teeth elongated into fangs that pierced my skin.  She began to feed.  I groaned as all of the blood that wasn't being sucked out of my arm pooled in my groin, and I hardened even more than I thought possible.  It'd been so long since we'd done this.

Closing my eyes, I concentrated on the sensation.  As I continued to rock my erection against her softness, Drusilla's mouth was pulling me under.  All my worries were evaporating as I was dragged closer and closer to sweet oblivion.  No longer did I have to think about the soldiers who'd cried out that night.  No longer did I have to remember my friends who had cried out so long ago. All of my failures were being washed away.  This must be what it feels like to drown, I thought.  This must be what it feels like to die. 

Shit.

With haste, shaking a bit, I pulled my flesh from Drusilla's lips and hopped off of the bed, and backed away.  Drusilla looked stunned at my actions and started to stand, to come to me, but I shook my head, and escaped out of the room, closing the door behind me.

Dawn had been right.  I still had a death wish.  Despite all the years of denying it, of swearing that I was better, right as rain, a picture of normalcy, it was still there.  I'd buried it, but given it only a shallow grave.  It didn't take much for it to be exposed once more.  

TBC


	4. Part 4

Facing Death (Part 4 of 7)

_Over the thundering noise of screams and the clash of weapons, I could hear bits of Willow's frantic call to the powers.   Spike had managed to join them on the roof and, as the rest of us fought through the hundreds blocking our path, in snatches I saw Spike and Giles working as a team. Giles was in full Ripper mode as his blade swept around, glinting in the moonlight as it smote death among the enemy.  Periodically, a flare of magic would pour from him and several of the Hellspawn would cry out and fall back into the growing numbers surrounding the building.    Spike, Spike was so covered with blood that as he spun from one opponent to another it flew off of him, like water from a dog shaking itself after it gets wet. _

****_                                                                        **The Last Apocalypse**_

****_                                                                        by A. L. Harris_

Part 4

 I woke up to an electronic rendition of "You Sexy Thing" by Hot Chocolate emerging from my cell phone.  Dawn had chosen that song, over my strenuous objections.  Now, as I fumbled my way off of Father Murry's couch and stumbled to the coat rack where the cell phone nestled in my jacket's pocket, I once again cursed that choice under my breath.  One of these days, I was going to change it…just as soon as I figured out how.  

"What?" I snapped into the mouthpiece.

"Xander, that was rude.  And I always figured you for a morning person, too," said the dulcet tones of Angelus.

Shit.  Angelus was calling me.  On my cell phone, that only a few people had the number for.    

"How'd you get this number?"

"A little birdie told me…well, screamed it actually."  

My blood ran cold at the possibilities.  _Let the birdie be Leon, let the birdie be Leon_, I silently repeated to myself.

"Funny thing, too.  I know she's really a ball of energy, but her taste?  Just like Buffy's."

Dawn!  My legs buckled under me and I sank to the floor; my world was breaking into a thousand tiny pieces as that monster continued to speak.  

"And her skin, so soft.  Damn, but those monks did good work, didn't they?  But you probably already know that."

With shaky fingers, I pressed the button to disconnect, then leaned over and began to noisily retch until my stomach was empty.  From what seemed like a far distance, I could hear footsteps enter the room.  I felt my hand being lifted and the cell phone, ringing again, was forced into it.  I stared blankly at Father Murry who was now squatting down next to me.  

"You need to answer it, son."

I turned to the ringing phone gripped tightly in my hand, and anger swept through me, heating me, burning my soul.  

"You're going to wish you were back in hell," I growled into the mouthpiece.

Angelus laughed.  He'd probably always laughed at his victims in the past and it had most likely frightened them.  Me, it strengthened.  I stood up, my throat still raw and burning from vomiting, and I felt the power of hate fill me.

"Xander!  Are you planning to kill me?" Angelus asked with mock surprise.

"No.  You won't die.  Vampires die from beheading, sunlight, and a stake in the heart.  The way I figure it, that leaves me with a hell of a lot of things I can do to you.  And keep doing to you for a long time." 

"Well, if you have everything all planned out…I guess I don't need to keep Dawn alive anymore."

She was alive!  Dawn was alive!  For a moment, I couldn't see, hear, or feel anything.  My mind was too occupied with the thought that I hadn't lost her.  I hadn't lost Dawn.

"Xander?  Xander, you still there?"

I wrenched myself back to the situation at hand.  Taking a breath, I tried to speak steadily into the phone.

"What…what do you want?" I asked.

"You know what I want."

"Dru.  You want Drusilla."

"Give the boy a gold star.  You have Drusilla.  I have Dawn.  Thought we might come to a little arrangement."

"Go on."

"The _Nitaka Warehouse_, at the docks, at midnight," said Angelus.

"No deal," I replied.

"No deal?  You forget, we've dealt…I'm holding all the aces."

"Despite what you may believe, I'm not an idiot.  If I go into that warehouse, I'll die.  Dawn will die."

"Fine.  You name a place."  

Angelus was beginning to sound irritated with me.  Not good.  

"The _High Life_ nightclub, the one on top of the B of A building."

"You want that many innocent bystanders, Xander?"

"We'll meet at four in the morning.  It'll be empty by then."  

"Hmmm, sunrise is at six.  It might be cutting it a little close, but it's not like we're going to have a nice long chat, right?"

"Angelus," I took a deep breath before continuing. "Dawn had better stay alive."

"Oh, she will be…unless I catch a whiff of soldiers around you."

With mutual suspicion, we hung up.  

I needed to change my clothes and shower.  I needed to clean up the mess I'd just made on the floor.  I needed to get a plan together.  Instead, still holding the phone, I stared at Father Murry, who hovered worriedly nearby, and said the only thought that kept pounding through my brain.

"Angelus has Dawn."

* * * * *

Fred and I stood on the front lawn, where broken glass sparkled in the sunlight like morning dew.  Splattered across the grass were dark splotches of demon blood.  On the outer edge, where my magical barriers ended, were occasional clumps of dust.  Dawn had fought back.  Hard.  

I'd redesigned the house with fewer windows, all of which were smaller and set higher in the wall than normal, so that it was highly defensible.  These windows were shattered, bursting outward when Dawn must have fired her weapons through them.  Inside, the floor was littered with shell casings and abandoned weapons, a few guns, two Xander specials, a gore covered sword, and an axe among them. The front and back door still held; the spells on them were the strongest I'd found.  It hadn't mattered.  They'd torn a hole in the fucking wall to get to her.  We entered my home through that same hole.  

Turning to Fred, whose large expressive eyes were scanning the remains of my living room, I asked her what I had to know.

"Who do I kill?"

The demons had taken their dead away, but Fred bent and examined the flesh and blood that remained on the sword Dawn must've used to hack at them in a last, futile effort to stay free.  

"Shegoul," Fred answered finally, rising back to a stand.  "The skin is grayish-green and the blood purplish.  That eliminates all but a few.  Of the demons types remaining, only the Shegoul and Kimlets could have broken through the magical barriers you placed around the property."

"And since Kimlets are two feet tall and about as vicious as sheep..."

She nodded.  

"Right.  It has to be the Shegoul.  They're probably still smarting from you killing three of their kin a month ago in the skid row area."

"The homeless shelter's sign read 'Free Meals'  That didn't apply to them," I said.

"Nevertheless, it probably made it easier for Angelus to recruit them."

I cleared some rubble from the couch and motioned for Fred to sit.  I couldn't calm myself down enough to do the same, though.  Instead, I paced, now and then brushing off a pillow, righting an end table, picking up shards of my life as I moved across the room.  

"Fred, I'm going to need some help on this one."

"You know I'll do whatever I can," she offered.

Turning, I stared hard at her.

"Not just your help, but the help of that little club you have going."

She started to protest, but I held up my hand to stop her.

"Fred, I know what you're doing.  Sometimes I've wondered if you knew what you were doing, but hey, I'm not one to talk. You've got a group together, old friends of Gunn, some new recruits.  Maybe even a few students of yours that showed some promise."  

Folding her arms across her chest, she glared at me.

"How long have you known?"

"Since from almost the beginning.  I was supposed to think that Maggory's bloodthirsty vampire clan all spontaneously combusted?  And you might want to ask Holcomb and Ivy how they found their way to your little sewing circle."

We stared at one another.  We'd been friends for a long time, but now we were once more judging, reevaluating anew, figuring out how much we trusted each other.  She took a deep breath and let it out in a rush.

"Fine.  We'll help you…on one condition.  You can't kill Angelus."

"Fred!"

"I mean it, Xander.  I won't let you kill him.  I've been researching and I'm pretty sure that I'm close to finding a way to get Angel back."

I closed my eyes and leaned against the wall.  How could she still cling to that hope?  Angel was gone.  Just as gone as those we'd buried.  Opening my eyes, I spotted the lamp, the lamp Dawn had considered throwing at me, on the floor near my feet.  Still avoiding Fred's gaze, I picked the lamp up and examined it.  Somehow, despite all the rampaging and violence that had gone on the night before, it was intact.  Holding it, I raised my eyes and looked at Fred.

"If Angelus survives tonight, if Dawn survives tonight, then I'll give him a chance to leave town.  I won't kill him."

"You promise?"

"Yes, I promise."

She smiled and I gave her a weak one in return.  Standing, she turned to go, and I ushered her to the hole in the wall where we'd entered.  While she walked outside into the sunlight, towards my car, I remained inside.   Lifting my arm, I smashed the lamp onto the floor.  

TBC


	5. Part 5

Facing Death (Part 5 of 7)

Spike stood on the edge of the rooftop for a moment.  It is an image that will be forever seared into my brain.  The moon overhead illuminated him, his shoulders weary and slumped, his sorrow as he saw a man he'd come to know and admire pulled down and being buried beneath the enemy.  Then Spike lifted his head and let out a sound.  At first, I thought it was a cry, but it was a laugh, an unholy cackle of glee, and, wielding his axe, he leapt down from the building into the roiling mass of the Hellspawn below.  

_                                                                        **The Last Apocalypse**_

_                                                                        by A. L. Harris_

Part 5

It was not quite four in the morning when Father Murry pulled up next to the curb in front of the Bank of America building.  I extracted Drusilla from the car, helping her as she stumbled on the hem of the unfamiliar cloak covering her head and body.  I'd doped her up pretty good.  I knew that drugs and alcohol affected vampires.  Heck, I'd been around Spike enough times when he'd gone on a bender to be well aware of that fact.  But I hadn't been sure how much to use.  Since I figured there was no way a vampire could die from an overdose, I'd poured half of a bottle of tranquilizers down Drusilla's throat.  The other half was in my pocket, just in case.

Drusilla was awake, very weak, and considerably loopy.  I know, I know, she's always crazy.  But believe me, she was loopier than usual.    For one thing, she was absolutely fascinated with the cloak I'd forced her to wear.  She had this whole little black riding hood thing going.  

"Xander, are you sure you don't want me to stay?" asked Father Murry, still seated in his car.

"Wolfie, oh wolfie," sing-songed Drusilla.  "Going to eat you up, I am."

I leaned over to look in the window at my friend.

"You did everything you had to do this afternoon, right?" I asked.

Father Murry nodded his head as he eyed Drusilla warily.  

"Going to put your leftovers in a basket.  Let grandmother eat you, too."

"Then, you'd better go.  Spend the night with your buddy and I'll see you tomorrow," I added.

With a 'good luck' and another glance at Drusilla, Father Murry drove away.  As I watched his car disappear, I noticed a gorgeous black Porsche sitting less than a hundred yards away.  Pulling a still rambling Drusilla along, I walked up to it.  

"Dru, does this belong to Angelus?" 

"Great big eyes you have…that will go pop in my mouth."

"Honey, this car.  Do you smell Angelus on it?"

She stopped talking to the Big Bad Wolf of her imagination, swayed a bit as she tried to focus, and then a large, pleased smile spread over her face.

"Daddy!"

Placing a finger against her lips, she shushed me, even though I hadn't said anything.

"Quiet.  Mustn't let wolfie know that Daddy's teeth are much bigger and sharper than his."

Scanning the empty street, I tried the driver's side door.  Locked.  Spinning Dru around, I grabbed the axe I had strapped to her back, and used it to smash in the window and pop the hood.  Quickly, I yanked as many wires as I could, before slamming the hood shut again.

Returning to the front of the B of A building, I entered through the large glass doors, dragging Drusilla behind me.  There was a security guard sitting at the desk.  As I got closer, I could see that his throat had been ripped out, and then he'd been propped back into his chair.  I added another body to the running tally that I kept in my head, under the label of 'Deaths I Was Responsible For'.  

Standing in the lobby, I considered my options.  We could take the stairs or the elevator.  Both ways would be a trap.  Since the _High Life_ nightclub was on the seventeenth floor, I decided that I'd try the elevator.  Before I pressed the button to summon the car, I turned around to face Dru, holding her chin in my hand to force her to pay attention.  

"Do you remember that game we used to play?  Years ago, when I would point to someone and you would enthrall them as fast as you could?"

She blinked a little, then nodded her head.

"Can we play?  I get inside their head, then you lop it off?" she asked eagerly.

"Uh huh.  We're going to play right now.  When these doors open, I want you to enthrall whoever is inside.  I don't want to fight if I don't have to, so make him like me, okay?"

When Drusilla smiled and nodded again, I pressed the call button.  The rumbling grew as the elevator came closer, and the light showing that the elevator had arrived lit up.   I still had the axe in my hand and I readied myself, just in case Dru's enthrallment didn't work.  

The doors slid open and a huge demon emerged.  He had bright yellow scales, tusks that curved from his mouth, and claws at the end of his arms that looked like scimitars.  You always think, why should I take my bazooka?  I never use it.  Then, the one day you leave it at home, something like this happens.  

I backed up and yanked Drusilla with me.  She was concentrating hard, and the creature had taken only two steps out of the car when it stopped and became as still as stone.  Only seconds had passed while this silent standoff took place, when I heard noises coming from behind me.  A group of vampires, ten at least, were headed my way from the direction of the stairwell.  Damn, but that bazooka would've been useful.   

Shifting my grip on my axe, I decided that I would at least go out fighting.  I had one trick up my sleeve, but I'd been hoping to save it for Angelus.  Maybe I wouldn't get the chance.

Suddenly, the yellow demon roared 'Cowabunga' and took off at a run to attack the vampires who were closing in.  It began slashing the vampires, beheading three of them, before the rest of them got their wits together and began to fight back.  

Taking advantage of the change in the situation, I grabbed Drusilla, pulled her into the elevator, and breathed a sigh of relief as the it began to rise to the seventeenth floor.

"Dru, what did you do to that demon?" I asked, totally mystified.

"I did what you said," she answered in her little loopy voice.  "You wanted him like you.  Now he's almost exactly like you, but not so fluffy."

She hadn't made the demon friendly towards me, but made him in my image.  I thanked the stars that she'd gotten it wrong, but I had to wonder if that was how she saw me.  Attacking monsters despite overwhelming odds, saying… 'Cowabunga?' 

I didn't get too much time to contemplate this, because the elevator halted and the doors slid open to reveal the waiting area of the nightclub.  I noted that the mood lighting was on, but the main lights were still off.   Slowly, I exited the elevator, one hand holding Drusilla's wrist, while the other one held my weapon.  The doors swished closed behind us.  

All hopes of creeping up on Angelus disappeared when Drusilla started calling in a high-pitched voice for him.

"Daddeee.  Where are you, Daddeee?"

"Crap," I muttered.                   

"Is that any way to talk in front of a lady?" I heard Angelus ask.

I saw him then, standing near a window with the city lights behind him.  He'd always had a flair for the dramatic.  My eyes flew to the figure in front of him.  Dawn!  One of his meaty paws covered her mouth, while the other one was wrapped around her waist, pulling her up against his body.   

"I have to say, Xander, I'm impressed that you made it here.  You've come a long way from the boy who used to hide behind the Slayer's skirt while wanting to get in her pants."

The hand at Dawn's waist moved, flitting up to caress one of her breasts.

"Got the next best thing, though."

The fingers stroking her breast suddenly squeezed it roughly.  I saw Dawn's eyes widen in pain and my fists tightened around the axe.  Angelus noted the movement.  

"Drop the axe, boy.  Now."

I tossed the axe to the side, then moved a few feet away, back towards the wall.  Drusilla's hand was still clasped in mine, though she struggled feebly to move towards her sire.  The drugs were still going strong in her system.  Good.  I set Dru behind me and moved farther back until she was pinned between the wall and my body, then released her wrist so that I had both hands free.  Angelus was smiling at my retreat, coming closer and hauling Dawn with him.  

"Let her go, Angelus."

"I'd rather not.  I like holding her, touching her, hearing her make those breathy little pants when she's trying not to scream."

"Dru and I are here.  You've got what you wanted."

He shook his head and faked a sad expression.

"Ah, but do we ever truly get what we want out of life?  You'd like your girlfriend back.  Me…I'd like to wallow in her blood.  Obviously, one of us is bound to be disappointed.  I just don't think that it's going to be me."

He yanked on Dawn's hair, then, giving his speech that extra little bit of emphasis of her accompanying cry.  I knew I couldn't wait any longer.  Reaching into my jacket pocket, I watched as Angelus pulled Dawn in front of him again in an effort to create a living barrier between him and any possible stakes I might produce.  His grip tightened on Dawn's jaw, and my mind raced back to Ms. Calendar's broken neck.  But I couldn't let my fear for her safety stop me from doing what I had to.  

I pulled a flare from my pocket and lit it, watching as he relaxed at my actions.  

"You think you can set me on fire with that, Xander? Well, you never were very bright," he smirked.

"Nope, I'm not smart.  I know that.  But one thing I do know is building codes."

It was then that the smoke of the flare was registered by the building's security center, and the sprinkler system went off.  As the fire alarm began to blare, water sprayed down from the ceiling.  Water from the pipes overhead, water from the standpipes throughout the building, water that Father Murry from St. Mary's had come by and blessed earlier that day.  It was now officially holy water.    

Dru's hood and coat were waterproof and protected her from the worst of it, but I thrust her under a table anyway.  Angelus didn't have any protection.  And he was screaming.  And burning.  Rushing forward, I grabbed Dawn out of his grip, as Angelus was in too much pain to pay any attention to his hostage.  He was trying to hold his coat over his head, trying to shield himself from the water still raining down.  I yelled for Dawn to take Drusilla out of there, then pulled my Xander special from my coat pocket and took aim.  

Angelus glared at me, hate emanating from him in waves.  With one last growl, he turned and ran at the window, crashing through the glass to fall to the pavement seventeen stories below.  I went to the casement and looked down, brushing rivulets of water that were streaming down my face from my eyes.  Angelus was getting up.  It takes more than a fall to kill a vampire.  But, as I watched him disappear around a corner, I noted he wasn't walking too well and I thought I spied some bone jutting out from his sleeve.  

I was about to turn away when a flash of yellow on the ground caught my eye.  The demon that Dru had enthralled earlier raced by, headed the same way Angelus had gone.  Looked like Angelus was about to have a little run-in with Demon Xander.  Cowabunga, indeed.  

TBC


	6. Part 6

Facing Death (Part 6 of 7)

_As each comrade fell, Angel roared as if his soul was being torn asunder.  It was less a lament as it was a growling challenge to death, to leave his friends alone and fight him, instead.  Our casualties rose and his grief mounted and the fury in which he attacked his enemies grew.  His efficient killing style became savage and bestial.   Now, I watched as he loped along, fiercely tearing apart Hellspawn with a feral snarl.   Any remnant of his humanity that he'd nurtured and cherished had been lost in the battle.   And slowly the Hellspawn weakened, weakened to the point where they were unable to stand.  _

_                                                                        **The Last Apocalypse**_

_                                                                        by A. L. Harris_

Part 6

I caught up with Dawn and Dru on the stairs around the 5th floor.  It surprised me to find that, as weak as Dru was, she'd been the one dragging Dawn out of there and not the other way around.  The holy water coming down from the ceiling had totally freaked her out.  I took hold of Drusilla's hand, after prying it from Dawn's wrist, and forced her to stop, so that Dawn and I could take a breather.  Dru whimpered a bit, but I pulled her into my chest and wrapped my arms around her, soothing her.  Glancing over her head, I studied the woman I loved.  

"Dawn, how are you doing?"

Leaning up against the wall, she closed her eyes, as if she wanted to block out the last twenty-four hours.  

"Oh, I'm fine and dandy.  I just spent the last day and most of the night with a crazy vampire who wanted to kill me."

 She opened her eyes and turned her head towards where I stood, still comforting Drusilla.

"Guess that's just an ordinary, hum drum day for you."

I bit my lip and took a deep breath before replying.

"Did he hurt you?"

Her quiet nod caused me to flinch.  I started to apologize, but she held up a hand, stopping me.

"I'll have a few new scars to brag about, but I'll live."

She pushed off from the wall and started back down the stairs without saying another word.  Drusilla and I followed her, equally quiet.  

It was only after we exited the building and went across the street that I realized that I'd made a big mistake when I'd planned our escape.  I had a truck that I used to deliver large pieces of furniture I'd made to their hopefully happy owners.  Earlier in the day, I'd parked my delivery truck in the lot near the Bank of America building.  It was powerful, easily defendable, and much better than my car for running down demons and vampires.   

What I hadn't taken into account was the fact that all three of us were going to have to pile into the cab of the truck together.  

Opening the passenger door, I picked Drusilla up and placed her on the high seat, then ordered her to slide over.  When I turned to Dawn, she simply rolled her eyes, brushed past me, and climbed up on her own.  Going around to the driver's side, I climbed in myself, and started up the engine.  It should take twenty-five minutes to drive to Father Murry's house.  I figured that in the current situation, I could probably make it in twenty.  Forget the fact that Drusilla is a crazy vampire.  Forget the fact that Dawn is one tough lady of mystical origins.  I was trapped in a small space with the two women in my life, and as every man knows, it was going to be hell.     

- - - - - -

Even though I was on the left side of the truck, at the steering wheel, it didn't take long before they put me in the middle of them. 

"Xander," Dawn complained.  "She keeps poking me."

"Drusilla, stop poking Dawn."

A minute passed before Dawn spoke again.

"Xander, she's still doing it.  If she keeps it up, she's dust."

"Dru, why do you keep poking Dawn?"

"Pretty," Dru giggled.  Green and glowing.  Sticks to my finger before fading away."

I jerked the wheel at that, and heard Dawn let out a little gasp.

"You can see Dawn glowing?  I thought that was over, that the whole key thing was done with."

"Makes sense that she can see it," grumbled Dawn.  "You know, being crazy and all."

 "Pretty key.  The lock is looking for you.  Looking for you and the door, but the door doesn't want to be found."

Dawn angled her body and stared at Drusilla.  

"What do you mean by that?"  Dawn moved forward so that she could look around Dru and stare at me.  "Xander, what does she mean?"

I shrugged.  "Sorry, my Drusilla-ese is a little rusty.  Sometimes, if you turn it into a game, you can get a bit more information."

"Yes, my Kitten loves to play games."

Oops. We were suddenly swimming in dangerous waters.  Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Dawn arch an eyebrow.

"Games?    Really?  Tell me about some of those games Xander likes to play."

Did I say dangerous waters?  Shark-infested waters.  Great White Shark infested waters.  

And they were circling because they could smell blood.

- - - - - -

We walked into Father Murry's house, and I showed Dawn into the priest's bedroom.  He had an en-suite bathroom, and she headed there, determined to wash away Angelus' touch.  While she showered, I laid out one of my few spare tee shirts for her to wear, before concentrating on Drusilla.  I was afraid that the drugs weren't going to last too much longer, so I led Dru into the bedroom and chained her, before heating up a container of blood.  

I was still sitting on the edge of the bed, feeding the vampire, when Dawn appeared at the doorway.  She studied Drusilla chained to the bed for a moment, before turning and going back into the living room.  I handed the half-empty container to Dru, and followed Dawn out, closing the door behind me.

"Chains, huh?  After all our time together, I didn't know that was what did it for you, Xander."  

"She's chained up because I can't trust her not to leave and search for Angelus," I explained, exasperated.    "I couldn't trust her with Father Murry, and now I can't trust her with you.  I won't let her hurt you."

She sat down on the couch and stared at the floor.  Quietly, her voice soft, her words barely slipping from her mouth, she spoke.

"She's not the one hurting me."

I sighed and sat down on the couch next to her, and put my head in my hands. 

"I've been staying here since the night I left home.  After I brought Drusilla here, I slept on this sofa.  If you don't believe me, you can ask Father Murry."

She didn't say a word, just continued memorizing the grains and swirls in the hardwood floor.

"Dawn, tomorrow I'm going to take you to Fred's, and I want you to stay there until all of this is over.  She can protect you. Angelus is wounded.  He may be even more dangerous than before."

She glanced up, and I saw her gaze flicker to the door to the room from which we could hear Drusilla tunelessly humming.

"And what are you going to be doing?"

I rose from the couch and looked down at her.  Dawn was brave, but I could see the dark circles under her eyes, see the slight shakiness in her limbs caused from fatigue and too many hours under the threat of being killed.  With my fingertips, I lifted her chin, tilting her face so that I could examine a bruise that had formed on a cheek, a bruise that had been hidden by her hair, grime, and the darkness of the night.  With fierce determination, I answered her.

 "I hurt Angelus tonight.  Tomorrow I plan to hurt him some more."

- - - - - -

A small crowd of men hovered at the front of my workshop when I arrived the next morning.  All part of Fred's little group.  I greeted Holcomb and Ivy and nodded to the others.  I didn't ask the men their names and they didn't offer them.  

The first item on the agenda was to check that everyone had all of the necessary gear.  Most of the men were outfitted pretty well, but I supplemented it a bit, making sure that we all were carrying silver knives, adding grenades, that sort of thing.  

Leon and his friends had finally come through with information on where Angelus' crew had been holing up.  They were on the north side of town, in a warehouse.  It's always a warehouse.  According to Leon, the scuttlebutt was that Angelus didn't return last night, and the vampires that were still hanging around the place were getting nervous.  Gee, I wonder what in the world might have delayed him?  It didn't matter that he wasn't there.  We'd still hit the place, but first, we needed to make a few stops.    

On the outskirts of town, was the cave where the clan of Shegouls were living.  The Shegouls that attacked my home, attacked Dawn, and gave her to Angelus.  My informants had told me that there were two entrances, but I sent my men around the hills, scouting for other routes out of the caverns.  We found three.  It didn't take much to get my revenge.  A few grenades tossed inside each hole, a boom, and then gravity and falling rocks did the rest.  

The next stop was the building that the Fyarls who survived the attack on the Riley's soldiers were currently occupying.  It was, to put it plainly, a hovel.  There weren't very many of them left, but they fought well.

I sent the others off for a late lunch and a rest while I made a stop at the _Hell Pit_, Angelus' recruiting grounds.  Two hours later, we met up again at the workshop and headed for the warehouse.    We weren't expected.  No one was even guarding the perimeter.  The vampires that Angelus had deemed not worth taking with him the previous night were dusted, almost before they knew what was happening.      

Afterwards, I dismissed the men.  I thanked them, told them to consider the silver knives and any weapons that I might've loaned them as gifts, and then reminded them to forget that they'd ever met me.  Most just gave me a silent nod or a pat on the back before walking out of the warehouse and into the fading sunlight.  Holcomb was the last to go.  I assured him that I would be fine.  He didn't believe me.  I explained that this was something I had to do myself.  That he understood.  With a last glance at me, he left, shutting the door behind him.  

I found a chair and sat down to wait for Angelus.  I didn't have to wait long.

- - - - - -

A slight shifting in the air was my only warning that I was no longer alone in the warehouse.  I leapt to my feet and spun around, finding Angelus less than five yards from me.  Although he was limping and obviously still in pain, he'd almost managed to sneak up on me.  My heart was pounding and he knew it.  

"Xander, what a nice surprise.  Now my friends and I don't have to hunt you down…and tear you apart."

He called out to his friends, but no one came.  No one answered. At first, he was puzzled.  I could tell by the way he kept searching the corners of the warehouse, trying to detect his cronies.  Then he looked at me…really looked at me.

"They're dead, aren't they?"

"Yep.  Roasting in hell even as we speak."

"Now what, Xander?  Are you going to kill me, too?"

I shrugged.

"Thought about it.  Planned on doing it.  Heck, I wanted to kill you even when you were supposed to be good.  But there are people in this world who hope that somehow they can help you.  That they'll get Angel back."

Angelus began to laugh in derision.

"That's never going to happen."

"I don't think it will, either.  But I made a promise that I'd give you a chance to leave town." 

"And you expect me to scurry off?  Xander, Xander, Xander…when will you ever learn?"

"I have learned.  See, I've decided to take a page out of your book, Angelus.  I'm not going to kill you.  But I will kill everyone around you.  This," I swept my hand around to indicate the empty building, "was just the beginning.  Today I was a busy little carpenter.  The _Hell Pit_, where you recruited most of your followers…gone.  Seems they had a wiring problem and a fire broke out.  The Shegoul demon clan, where you went for help against me and mine…also gone.  The Fyarls…gone.

He stared at me and shook his head.  

"No.  You wouldn't do that.  You're not capable of that."

"You have no idea what I'm capable of.  But the vamps in this town…they know. At least, the ones that are still around do.  Everywhere you've gone, Angelus, every creature you've been in league with, I've destroyed.  And I'm making sure that the news is spreading, too.  You've become a walking plague."

He started to speak, then stopped, glaring at me.  Angelus clenched his jaw, as I continued.

"Do me a favor…don't believe me.  Go to a demon bar and see how welcome you are.  I made a promise that I wouldn't kill you.  I never promised that I wouldn't convince anyone else to do it," I hissed. 

Angelus knew that the demon community was out for his blood.  He was badly injured, nursing broken bones, a long gash in his back, hopefully courtesy of the enthralled yellow demon, and incredible burns.  It didn't seem to matter to him.  He was completely focused on me and he seemed frustrated.  And pissed.

"Damn it, Xander, you're screwing up again! You're not supposed to let me go."

Then I saw it.  I'd seen that look in my own eyes for years, whenever I'd gone into the bathroom and made the mistake of looking into the mirror.  I suddenly understood.  Angelus hadn't come back for Drusilla.   It'd all been some sort of elaborate ruse.  He'd come back because of me.   I'd acquired a bit of a reputation and he must've decided that I might be good enough to pull it off.  That I might be good enough to kill him.

"Angel?" I whispered.

He reared back as if I'd struck him.  For a moment, I saw something unidentifiable flicker over his face before a smirk settled in its place.

"You're a fool, Xander.  You've always been a fool. This isn't over.  Don't think for one moment that this is over.  I'll be back."

With a swirl of that stupid billowy coat of his, he disappeared into the night.  I'd still be on alert for the next few days, still pump my sources for any information about him, but it was over…for now.  I knew, though, that someday he'd make good on his threat and return.  I only hoped that when that happened, no one I loved died.  

TBC


	7. Part 7

Facing Death (Part 7 of 7)

Willow was swathed in darkness, not just her eyes and hair, but her skin as well. Her lips, even the skin under her fingernails had been turned.  The reason that the Hellspawn had lost their strength was here.  Willow had sucked from them their power, pulling it into herself.  Now she lay there, bloated with it, her skin ripped in places where it had been stretched too far and dark, sluggish blood flowed out.  She was keening in pain.

_                                                                        **The Last Apocalypse**_

_                                                                        by A. L. Harris_

Part 7

_The King of Cups_ was nearly empty when I walked into it, two days later.  I'd been doing some thinking during the last forty-eight hours.  I wasn't thrilled with my conclusions, but I knew what had to be done.  

George, standing at the bar wiping glasses down, snarled to me in greeting, so he was in a pretty happy mood.  As I made my way down the stairs and back passages, I didn't see Leon around.  He was probably sleeping in one of the rooms, which was good.  I wasn't up to confronting him as well as Drusilla.  

When I reached her door, I didn't knock, but quietly opened it and let myself in.  Drusilla was laid out on the bed, fully clothed.  I studied her as she slept.  Her dark hair swirled about her shoulders, but a few strands had spread out, covering her cheek.  Gently, my fingertips brushed the hair from her face.  She looked so young, so innocent, and so deeply vulnerable.  But a small stain of blood near her lip put a lie to it all.

"Drusilla?" I whispered.

She stirred and murmured something about velvet bindings, but failed to wake. My hand fell to her shoulder, and I softly gave it a nudge.

"Honey?  You need to get up.  I want to talk to you."  

This time, her eyes flickered open.  When she saw me, a smile spread across her face and radiated a clear joy at my presence.  If I'd ever doubted that she loved me, in her own soulless way, this would have convinced me.  As it was, it only made what I had to do harder.  She stretched up an arm, and her hand wound around my neck, drawing me closer to her.

"My brave knight is here.  Aren't you going to kiss the princess awake?"

It would be so easy to let myself be pulled down.  To kiss her mouth once more, let her tongue thrust against mine, peel her clothes from her, and delve into her softness.  To forget everything and everyone in the pleasure that we gave to one another.  With slow carefulness, I straightened, eased her fingers from my flesh, and took a step back.  

"I'm sorry, Drusilla.  This has to end.  It all has to end."

Her eyes widened, and she rose from the bed, confused.  

"We can't go on like this…me, you.  For years I've given you, and Leon too, a free ride in this town.  Let you kill and feed with abandon, while I stood back and did nothing to stop it.  Well, that ends now."

"You no longer love me, Kitten?"

"Damn it, of course I love you!  Why do you think that I've come here to tell you this?  If I didn't, I would've just staked you, and been done with it."

 She started to whimper.  The sound was like sharp needles under my skin, but I couldn't let it get to me.  Taking a deep breath and lowering my voice, I continued.

"Dru, part of me will always love you.  But it's not good for me.   I can't spend my life constantly playing, teasing, and laughing with death and darkness, wondering when it will rear back and strike me."

"I'll be good.  I promise not to turn you."

I shook my head.  

"It's a promise you can't keep.  I'm sorry, Drusilla.  I need to get my foot out of the grave and live again."

"It's her, isn't it?  The shining, glowy one.  It's her fault."

"Dawn?  No, it's not her fault.  It's mine.  I love her and I want to be with her.  I want to be the man she needs, the man she wants.  And I can't do it with you in my life."

I walked to the door and opened it, then turned to look at Drusilla as she stood there, trembling, looking so lost and alone.  I wanted to go to her, wrap my arms around her, and let her feed from me once more.  Instead, I made my voice hard.

"I'll give you three days, you and Leon.  In three days, you'd better be gone.  If you're still here, I'll stake you both." 

- - - - - 

On the fourth day, I came back.  The bar was dark, a closed sign decorating the door.  Breaking the lock, I entered, readjusted the weight of the pack I carried on my shoulders, and looked around. The shelves had been picked bare, and dust was already accumulating on them.  Actually, the dust had probably been there forever.  Leon had never struck me as a manager who insisted on cleanliness.  

I made my way back to Drusilla's room, cautiously taking each turn, not sure if I should expect an attack.  No attack came.  The building was empty.  

When I entered the bedroom, the only light was from the beam of my flashlight.  No candles fluttered in their holders.  I struck a match and lit a couple of tapers that still stood on the nightstand, and surveyed the room.  Everything was still there, the bed, the dresser, but already there was an air of abandonment about it.  Wait…not everything was as it had been.  The stuffed black cat, the present that I'd given to Drusilla years before, was missing from its place of prominence on the dresser.  She must have taken it with her when she'd left.  

I dropped to my knees next to the bed and opened my pack.  Removing an explosive charge, I carefully set the timer and placed it under the bed that I'd spent many a night in.  

The next twenty minutes was spent placing other charges strategically around the various rooms, hallways, staircases, and finally, in the bar, itself.   I left the building, and with an effort, managed not to look back at it as I drove away.  

I'd only gone a few blocks when the series of explosions shook the ground.  

- - - - -

It was only when I heard Dawn's feet coming closer to the door to answer the summons caused by the doorbell that I began to get nervous.  I'd talked to her on the phone several times since I taken her to Fred's house, once to let her and Fred know about Angelus, and several times concerning the repairs that were being done to the house.  This last time I'd called her was to ask if I could come over and talk with her.

Dawn opened the door, wearing what looked like a fresh outfit, and I could see that she'd reapplied her makeup.  I took hope from the fact that she'd made the effort to look nice when I arrived.  I would've felt better if I hadn't known that Dawn referred to makeup as 'war paint'.   

She went to get a couple of cups of coffee, because now I was a guest, while I inspected the repairs.  The men I'd sent to the house had done a good job.  The windows had been replaced, and the hole had been patched up.  I'd even had them go the extra mile and paint the entire room, so that a fresh coat of paint on just one wall didn't remind Dawn of her ordeal.  I wished I could inspect the new magical barriers, as well, but I had to go on trust with that one.  

"So," Dawn said, as she reentered the room bearing two mugs of coffee.  "Does it pass the Xander inspection?"

"Looks good."

She placed the cups down on the replacement coffee table and sat on the couch.  After a moment, I sat down next to her.  As I was taking my first sip, Dawn handed me a piece of paper.  It was a check.

"What's this?" I asked, a bit of anger creeping into my voice.

"For the repairs.  Also, I know that the house is in my name, but you paid half of the mortgage from the time we moved in.  Heck, when I was out of work a couple of years ago, you were paying the whole thing."

With slow deliberation, I tore the check in half.  Then tore those pieces in half, continuing the process until it was reduces to bits, despite Dawn's protests.  

"Don't," I hissed. "Don't reduce our relationship down to a number with a dollar sign in front of it.  I love you."

"But you love a lot of people, don't you, Xander?" she snapped.

I stood up and stared at Dawn.  This so wasn't going well.  Finally, I nodded.

"Yeah, you're right.  I do love a lot of people.  Always have.  I love you.  I love Fred.  I love my parents, even though I can't stand to be in the same room with them.  And I love Drusilla."    

Dawn was glaring at me, but I didn't care.  She stood, her arms folded across her chest, and went to the door.  I followed her.

"I think it's time you left."

"Not until I finish.  I. Love. Drusilla.  Crazy, vicious, killer vampire Drusilla.  And you know what?  She may have tried to kill me on occasion, but she never once tore my heart out of my chest and stomped on it like the rest of you."    

"That's not fair!"

"No, what isn't fair is that I sent her away.  I threatened to kill her, made Dru leave town, then blew up the club. And do you know why?  Because you were right.  I did have a death wish and Dru was part of it.  I figured it was high time I started living again and I want to live it with you."

Her eyes went wide as she stared at me.  I took a couple of deep breaths, making an effort to calm myself down and lower my voice back to a more reasonable level.  

"It's you, Dawn.  It's you I want to be with. You, I love more than anything."

Her bottom lip trembled a bit as I approached her, backing her up against the door until we were only inches apart.

"Maybe…maybe it's too late," she said defiantly, but too softly for the threat to mean much.

"Maybe it is.  Why don't we find out?"

I leaned in and kissed her, starting off tentatively so as not to frighten her.  When she wrapped her arms around me, welcoming me, I deepened the kiss.  Within moments, I was pressing her into the wood of the door, her hands gripping my ass, and we were gasping air into our lungs.  I placed my forehead onto hers as our pelvises ground into each other, as if they had a life of their own, separate from the rest of us.  Dawn looked into my eyes, then gave me a gentle push, so I took half a step back.

"A few kisses aren't going to do it.  You're not moving back in."

"I didn't plan to," I replied.  "I need to get my act together first.  Need to learn to live on my own without relying on others…like you…to keep lending me strength and giving me the will to live."

She looked at my face, eyeing me intensely.  Her teeth sank into her bottom lip, and I stifled a groan as my erection hardened even more.

"You know that while you're doing that whole learning to live again bit, I'm not going to wait for you.  I'm not going to be sitting at home like some sweet little thing while you're off doing whatever."

"I wouldn't expect you to.  But know this.  When I'm ready…I'm going to come after you so hard and so fast that no one - living or dead, in heaven or in hell, will keep you from me."

"Stalkerish?"

"Determined."

"Oh…determined.  That's good."

 Dawn clasped my arms and pulled me back against her, and our lips met once again.  I slid my hands from where I was caressing her face, back into her hair, reveling in the feel of her.  We stroked and rubbed, teasing each other, as well as ourselves, with fleeting touches, until, breathing hard, we broke apart.  It seemed as if we both understood that it was too soon for us to jump back into bed with each other, despite our desire.  

A fingertip trailed across my forehead, down my nose, until it landed on my lips.  I sucked the tip in, tonguing it, tasting it, before Dawn pulled it out and resolutely stuck it back onto my lips.  Her breathing had slowed down; she was no longer panting, but it was still a bit uneven when she spoke.

"Is there anything I can do to help you learn to live again?  To start moving things in the right direction, so to speak?"

I pulled back and looked at her.  It was time, past time, really.  I clasped her hands and we moved to the couch, where we sat down.  Still keeping my hands in hers, I studied her slightly confused expression.  This was going to be hard.  So incredibly hard, but I had to do it.  

"Dawn, I never told you everything that happened that day…the day we fought the Hellspawn.  You'd been knocked to the ground, unconscious, so you missed it.  Remember how I told you that Willow was a hero?  How she used her magic?  I think it's about time I told you the rest of the story.  Told you about how I killed her."      

Taking a deep breath, I started to talk.  

The End.

Feedback is greatly appreciated.

Again, I would like to thank Jane Davitt and Alena for all of their help and support.  It means so much to me.  

Additionally, I wrote out a short version (about 4 pages) of **_The Last Apocalypse_** and took out paragraphs for the excerpts.  Because it deals with the deaths of characters that I truly love, I'd rather not post it.  However, if you wish to read it, you can e-mail me at mahaliem@yahoo.com and I will be happy to send it to you.  


End file.
